Sophomore Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored a career-high 27 points and UCLA rallied from a 14-point deficit to defeat Michigan State 86-80 in overtime in an NCAA Tournament First Four game on Thursday in West Lafayette, Ind.
Johnny Juzang had 23 points for the Bruins (18-9), who will face sixth-seeded BYU in an East Region first-round matchup on Saturday. UCLA’s Cody Riley and Jules Bernard each contributed 11 points.
Aaron Henry’s 16 points and seven assists led Michigan State (15-13). Joshua Langford added 12 points and seven rebounds and Malik Hall chipped in 10 points.
Two baskets by Juzang gave the Bruins a four-point lead in overtime. Riley’s dunk with under a minute to go gave UCLA an 83-78 lead. Langford made a layup, Riley split two free throws and Langford missed in the lane. Jaylen Clark sank two free throws with 13.9 seconds left to clinch UCLA’s win.
Drake 53, Wichita State 52
Joseph Yesufu poured in 21 points as the Bulldogs rallied from a frosty first half to upend the Shockers in the First Four at West Lafayette, Ind.
Drake (26-4) overcame 37.7 percent shooting and a 10-minute scoring drought in the first half to claim their first NCAA Tournament victory in 50 years to the day. The 11th-seeded Bulldogs advance to face sixth-seeded Southern California on Saturday in a first-round West Region game.
Junior Morris Udeze scored a career-high 22 points to pace Wichita State, but the Shockers (16-6) fell just short. Dexter Dennis (13 points) made it interesting with a steal and 3-pointer for the Shockers with 8.1 seconds left. Yesufu then missed a front-end free throw, but Alterique Gilbert hit the front iron on a long 3-point attempt at the buzzer.
Texas Southern 60, Mount St. Mary’s 52
John Walker III scored 13 of his 19 points in the second half to lead the Tigers past the Mountaineers in the opening game of the First Four of the NCAA Tournament at Bloomington, Ind.
Jordan Gilliam added 12 points for Texas Southern (17-8), which overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to win its 10th straight game and 15th of its last 16. The 16th-seeded Tigers will face top-seeded Michigan in a first-round contest on Saturday at West Lafayette, Ind.
Damian Chong Qui scored 14 points and Mezie Offurum recorded 10 points and a career-high 16 rebounds for the Mountaineers (12-11), who had a four-game winning streak snapped.
Norfolk State 54, Appalachian State 53
Devante Carter canned two free throws with 8.6 seconds left as the Spartans edged the Mountaineers in a First Four matchup at Bloomington, Ind.
The Mountaineers had a chance to win the game on their final possession, but Michael Almonacy bricked a 3-point attempt and Justin Forrest’s second-chance jumper came up short as the buzzer sounded. Sixteenth-seeded Norfolk State (17-7) will play top-seeded Gonzaga on Saturday night in a first-round West Region game.
Jalen Hawkins came off the bench to pump in a game-high 24 points and Joe Bryant Jr. added 10 for the Spartans, who won their first NCAA Tournament game since stunning Missouri in a 15-over-2 upset in 2012. Justin Forrest scored 18 points for Appalachian State (17-12).
(Field Level Media)
